Wall panel attachment for ceiling runner system



June 27, 1961 G. FOWLES 2,990,037

WALL PANEL ATTACHMENT FOR CEILING RUNNER SYSTEM Filed Jan. 27, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

G/Z. 356 71,- FOL/L55 m YJWAQL United States Patent 2,990,037 WALL PANEL A'I'IACHIVIENT FOR CEILING RUNNER SYSTEM Gilbert L. Fowles, Avon, Ohio, assignmto The E. F.

Hauserman Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 27, 1955, Ser. No. 484,347 9 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates as indicated to a wall panel attachment, and more particularly to means for joining the top of a movable partition or panel to a ceiling runner of the type now generally employed to support the translucent panels of luminous ceilings.

As shown in Wakefield Patent 2,659,807 or Beckwith Patent 2,659,808, for example, various types of luminous ceiling constructions are known wherein rails or runners are suspended from the roof or true ceiling to support various types of corrugated translucent panels or louvers providing a false ceiling concealing lighting fixtures thereabove and difiusing the light from such fixtures. Movable wall partitions or panels usually of steel are widely employed in ofiice buildings, hospitals, manufacturing plants and elsewhere, as illustrated by Bohnsack Patent 1,883,-

.870 and Goddard Patent 2,020,502. Architects are becoming increasingly interested in the modular concept of building design wherein rooms comprise any desired multiple of a basic selected unit area, both floor and ceiling. The new luminous ceilings are naturally divided into basic areas corresponding to the spacing of the suspended rails or runners, commonly of aluminum, which support the glass or plastic panels, or louvers or the like through which the light is transmitted. It is a principal object of my invention to provide means for connecting the upper portions of movable wall partitions to such ceiling runners in such manner as to achieve a rigid and tight fit and yet permit ready disengagement of the partition and shifting to a new position without in any way marring or modifying the ceiling runner and translucent 3 ceiling panel assembly.

Another object of my invention is to provide such atl taching means which will be very simple and expeditious of use and which will require the employment of no 1 special tools or skill.

Still another object is to provide a type of wall panel attachment suitable for employment with a variety of common forms of ceiling runners and wall partitions without any further modification of the same.

Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features herein- 9 after fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a luminous ceiling supporting runner and the upper portion of a commercially available wall panel or partition assembled thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

2,990,037 Patented June 27, 1961 FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a clip as employed in the FIG. 4 assembly.

Now referring more particularly to the drawing and especially FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, an extruded aluminum ceiling runner 1 is shown in cross-section having lateral flanges '2 and 3 extending generally longitudinally of the vertical web as well as a transverse bottom flange 4 which gives the runner or rail the general shape of an inverted T. This type of runner is known in the art and is regu larly employed to support translucent ceiling panels C with the edges of the latter inserted beneath the flanges 2 and 3 and resting upon the lower flange 4. As best shown in FIG. 1, there is suflicient clearance between the flanges to permit the insertion of the attaching clip of this invention beneath such ceiling panels.

The upper portion of a sheet metal movable wall partion W is shown of a construction commercially available at the present time and adapted to be joined to an end post extension P so that such wall partition extends directly beneath and parallel to the ceiling runner 1. Fireproof, sound deadening material may be provided within the wall partition if desired.

A sheet metal clip 5 (FIG. 6) of general U-shape is provided with rebent, laterally projecting gripping portions 6 adapted to engage and grip the two longitudinally extending side edges of lower flange or web of the ceiling runner 1, the upper portion 7 and the lower portion 8 of each such laterally extending portion of th clip being spaced properly to fit such web. The two such laterally extending portions of the clip may be spread apart for the purpose of thus mounting the clip on the ceiling runner and a plurality of such clips will ordinarily be employed at intervals of several feet along the length of the runner.

An upper wall partition member 9 of general inverted U-shape cross-section is provided with a longitudinally extending channel 10 in its upper face dimensioned snugly to fit clip 5 as best shown in FIG. 1 and it is secured thereto by means of a self-tapping screw 11. Such channel 10 is opposed to the underside of ceiling runner web 4 and may be filled with insulating material if desired. By thus fitting clip 5 within such upper channel 10, it becomes impossible again to spread apart the laterally projecting flange gripping portions 6 of the clip, and the upper portion 9 of the wall partition is accordingly firmly and rigidly secured to the ceiling runner 1. Molding strips .12 may be secured to the wall partition members 9 and W by means of special clips 13 in conventional manner, such moldings 12 thereby bridging the gap between such upper partition portion 9 and the main wall partition W. When it. is desired to disassemble and remove the wall partition, this may of course readily be effected by first removing such molding strips, then disengaging the principal wall partition W from the corner posts P and removing the same, and next removing screws 11 to disengage the upper wall partition member 9. When such member 9 has been removed, it then becomes possible to spread the clips 5 and detach them so that the luminous ceiling is left in its original condition without any-indication that a partition once extended beneath the ceiling runner 1..

A variety of diflerent shapes of ceiling runners or rails is employed commercially, these generally being of inverted T-shape in the case of aluminum extrusions, and of I-beam shape in the case of steel strip weldments. Referring next to FIGS. 3 and 8 of the drawing, a similar ceiling and wall partition assembly is shown utilizing -a sheet metal clip 14 of somewhat different shape. Such clip is of general U-shape cross-section, but instead of being provided with laterally projecting flange gripping portions, it has inturned opposed lips 15 with I lower inner lip members 16 spaced therefrom and spot welded to the side walls of the clip. These spaced lips and 16 are adapted to engage and grip the lower flange or web 17 of ceiling rail 18 (the sides of the clip being slightly spread apart for this purpose) and the clip is then received within the longitudinally extending channel 10 in the upper face of wall partition member 9 as before. It will be noted that in both the FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 embodiments, the luminous ceiling panels C do not rest on the upper surface-of the wall partition member 9 but instead, on the lower webs 4 and 17 respectively of the ceiling runners or upon the clips when the latter are employed.

In the FIG. 4 embodiment, a clip 19 (FIG. 9) is employed generally similar to that of FIG. 8 but adapted to fit a ceiling runner or rail 20 having a relatively narrow bottom web or flange 21. The inner lips 22 are generally similar to 16 of FIG. 8 but project somewhat further in- Wardly toward one another. The upper or outer flanges forming opposed spaced lips 23 are stepped to space the resulting parallel recesses somewhat closer together than is the case in the FIG. 8 embodiment, thereby closely to grip flange 21.

The FIG. 5 embodiment is quite similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 6, the clip 24 being adapted to grip the composite lower flange or web 25 of welded sheet metal ceiling runner 26.

Another form of commercially available wall partition construction is shown in FIG. 7 where the upper portion of the partition 27 is of relatively narrow cross-section compared to the principal body of the partition W. The longitudinally extending channel 28 is provided by the upwardly extending sheet metal side portions of member 27 which embrace the sides of clip 14 and thereby hold such clip rigidly gripping the lower flange or web 25 of rail 26.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a novel wall panel attachment for a ceiling runner system of the type employed with modern luminous ceilings whereby wall partitions may be connected thereto and subsequently dismantled and removed as may be desired without marring or disturbing the ceiling construction in any way. Moreover, the wall partition may thus be connected to the ceiling very rapidly and without employment of special tools but once secured thereto a very rigid assembly is provided.

The inturned edge portions of the clips will usually serve to lift the translucent ceiling panels slightly above the supporting web portions of the rails and accordingly somewhat enhance ventilation.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a luminous ceiling construction including spaced parallel horizontal rails having lower web portions projecting generally horizontally laterally to each side thereof and translucent ceiling panels supported by said web portions; a movable vertical wall partition disposed directly beneath a respective rail of snugly within such groove with the walls of such groove embracing the sides of said clips to prevent outward distortion. of said clips for disengagement from said rail.

2. The ceiling and wall assembly of claim 1 wherein said lower rail web is wider than such groove, and said a I clips comprise a central U-shape portion fitting in such groove, laterally extending side portions resting on the top of said wall partition on each side of such groove, and rebent edge portions embracing and gripping the respective rail web edges.

3. The ceiling and wall assembly of claim 1 wherein said lower rail web is of the same width as such groove, and said clips have inturned edge portions embracing and gripping the respective rail web edges, and longitudinally extending flange portions projecting inwardly from the respective sides of said clips closely engaging the undersides of the rail web edge portions.

4. The ceiling and wall assembly of claim 1 wherein said lower rail web is narrower than such groove, and said clips have stepped inturned edge portions, engaging the edges and upper surfaces of the respective sides of said laterally extending web, and longitudinally extending flange portions projecting inwardly from the respective sides of said clips closely engaging the undersides of the rail web edge portions.

5. In combination, an elongated structural ceiling memher having longitudinally extending generally horizontally laterally projecting shoulders thereon; a movable'vertical wall member of greater width than the combined projecting shoulders on said ceiling member disposed directly beneath said ceiling member and having a longitudinally extending groove in its upper face; and clips of general U-shape cross-section having inturned edge portions embracing and gripping said respective shoulders of said ceiling member, said clips being spreadable sulficiently thus to embrace said shoulders from the underside of said ceiling member, and attaching means releasably securing said clips at least partially snugly within such groove with the Walls of such groove embracing the sides of said clips to prevent outward spreading of said clips for disengagement from said ceiling member.

6. In combination, an elongated structural ceiling member having longitudinally extending generally hori zontally laterally projecting shoulders thereon; a movable vertical Wall member of greater width than the combined projecting shoulders on said ceiling member disposed directly beneath said ceiling member and having a longitudinally extending groove in its upper face; and clips of general U-shape cross-section having inturned edge portions embracing and gripping said respective shoulders of said ceiling member, and attaching means releasably securing said clips at least partially snugly within such groove with the walls of such groove embracing the sides of said clips.

7. A horizontal ceiling rail having longitudinally extending flange portions projecting to each side thereof, a generally vertically extending panel member depending therefrom having a longitudinally extending groove in its upper face, and connecting means joining said rail and panel member thus to suspend the latter comprising a sheet metal clip of general U-shape cross-section having inturned edge portions closely embracing and gripping said respective flange portions of saidrail, said clip being spreadable for such purpose, and attaching means .releasably securing said clip at least partially snugly within such groove with the walls of such groove embracing the sides of said clip to prevent outward spreading of said clip for disengagement from said rail.

8. In combination with a luminous ceiling construction including spaced parallel horizontal rails having lower web portions projecting laterally to each side thereof and translucent ceiling panels supported by said web portions; a movable vertical wall partition of greater width than the lower projecting web portions of said rails disposed directly beneath a respective rail of the ceiling construction and having a longitudinally extending groove in its upper surface; and sheet metal clips of general U-shape cross-section having inturned edge portions closely embracing and gripping the respective edges of said lower web portion of said respective rail, said clips being distortable for such purpose, and attaching means releasably securing said clips at least partially snugly within such groove with the walls of such groove embracing the sides of said clips to prevent outward distortion of said clips for disengagement from said rail, said translucent ceiling panels resting directly on said inturned edge portions of said clips and thereby being spaced slightly above said supporting Web portions of said rails.

9. In combination, a support, a panel member having a recess in one edge, a spreadable clip having opposed portions interengaging and gripping said support, said clip being at least partially received within such recess and fitting the same to prevent spreading of said clip to release said support, said panel member being mounted relative to said support thus releasably to secure said clip in such recess of said panel member whereby said clip and panel member mutually cooperate, said clip serving to hold said panel member aligned with said support and said panel member serving to hold said clip in its support gripping conformation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 691,599 Clark Jan. 21, 1902 l 016,032 Pruden Jan. 30, 1912 1,697,521 Collins Jan. 1, 1929 2,058,372 Venzie Oct. 20, 1936 2,250,951 Guignon July 29, 1941 2,659,807 Wakefield Nov. 17, 1953 2,766,855 Johnson Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 591,110 Great Britain Aug. 7, 1947 

